• Nigel Adkins has been given the Tranmere job on a permanent basis signing until the end of the 25/26 season. Continue the discussion here.

Gerd Muller

Joined
1 Oct 2005
Messages
5,693
Player
Alan King, Barry Dyson
Bayern Munich and Germany legend Gerd Muller has died at the age of 75. The striker scored 68 goals in 62 appearances for West Germany, including the winning goal in the 1974 World Cup final against the Netherlands. Muller also spent 15 years at Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, scoring a record 365 goals in 427 league appearances. He is best remembered for his goal against England knocking us our of the World Cup in 1970.

In my view, he is the best centre-forward of my lifetime, possibly alongside Alfredo di Stefano. Looking at his medals and statistics, I don't think you can argue with that.
 

Higgy

Member
Joined
1 Jul 2010
Messages
654
Player
Dave Higgins
A great player and a sad loss, but Pele a better striker surely ?
Saw Muller a couple of times and while he wasn't as easy on the eye as Pele who was a great striker and contender for best footballer ever, I'd say Muller was the better striker. An exaggeration, but goals defined him more than Pele and his stats would probably back up he was the better striker (Pele sets a high bar as he was prolific) if we judge strikers by goals.
 
Joined
15 Mar 2010
Messages
13,873
Player
Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
Manager
John King
Saw Muller a couple of times and while he wasn't as easy on the eye as Pele who was a great striker and contender for best footballer ever, I'd say Muller was the better striker. An exaggeration, but goals defined him more than Pele and his stats would probably back up he was the better striker (Pele sets a high bar as he was prolific) if we judge strikers by goals.
I know what you mean, as Muller was more of an out-and-out poacher. However, their stats are very similar (basically one goal per game) and Pele was the more gifted all round footballer, as well as being a natural finisher.
 
Joined
2 May 2021
Messages
829
Player
Ged Brennan, Big Steve McNulty,
Manager
Mickey Mellon, Johnny King.
R.I.P Gerd.

Watched fascinated by changing a half chance into a goal.
He had the ability to be in the right place at the right time and time his runs into the danger areas.

Those old enough before Pele, there was Puskas, he was a man who could score for fun. It was no coincidence Real Madrid had so much success in the early sixties in the European champions cup and of course la liga.
Puskas came to Wembley with his Hungarian team and played us off the park. If you watch it, you will see that they start taking the Mickey late in the second half. 5-2 they won and of course being England, this was against the big stars of the time. This changed football thinking in this country. This was a huge wake up call. That is why the FA brought in Sir Alf Ramsey.

Then at the same time as Pele, there was Eusebio.

Where do you put Ronaldo? Maradonna? Zidane? Messi?
 

Boz

Member
Joined
30 Sep 2005
Messages
8,855
Player
Iain Hume
I've seen the footage of Pele, but he was probably past his peak when I started watching football in the early 70s, at a time when Gerd Muller was coming into his prime. Both definite legends.
RIP Gerd
 
Joined
1 Oct 2005
Messages
5,693
Player
Alan King, Barry Dyson
Yes, no argument with any of those comments. I think Pele is the better footballer - three World Cups and over 1000 career goals says it all. Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are both better footballers. Maradona certainly was. Eusebio’s four goals against North Korea at Goodson Park is the greatest solo performance I have ever seen in the flesh. However, as a traditional centre-forward, Muller is right up there.

If I could put Muller on Micky’s subs bench and allow him to come on for just five minutes in every game, we’d be twice the side. ;)
 

drwhoman

Member
Joined
30 Jun 2008
Messages
2,658
Muller was a lethal striker. All of us of a certain vintage remember his extra time winner in the 1970 World Cup game after England led 2-0. Hot and steamy - a lot of controversy over the substitution of Bobby Charlton by Colin Bell when England were 2-1 up. To be fair to Ramsey he was trying to close the game down (unsuccessfully!). The 1960 European Cup Final was notable as a rare TV event (in black and white!) outside the Cup Final. Real Madrid 7 Eintract Frankfurt 3. Puskas 4 and Di Stefano 3! They were good! Same year as Wolves, the best team of the era, beat Blackburn 3-0 in the Cup Final after Dave Whelan (of sports shop fame) broke his leg. No subs in those days!

Pele and Eusebio - great players. Always difficult to compare players of different eras. Pitches today, no mud baths (!), are better, balls are different ( we probably all remember trying to head a leather ball on a wet day!), players are fitter, have more money to live better etc. I recall that the Blackburn centre forward was a guy with the great name of Louis Bimpson who had played for Liverpool as a part timer! Even the great Tom Finney went back to plumbing when he finished at Preston. Not quite what most modern top footballers will be doing when they finish!
 

drwhoman

Member
Joined
30 Jun 2008
Messages
2,658
Muller was a lethal striker. All of us of a certain vintage remember his extra time winner in the 1970 World Cup game after England led 2-0. Hot and steamy - a lot of controversy over the substitution of Bobby Charlton by Colin Bell when England were 2-1 up. To be fair to Ramsey he was trying to close the game down (unsuccessfully!). The 1960 European Cup Final was notable as a rare TV event (in black and white!) outside the Cup Final. Real Madrid 7 Eintract Frankfurt 3. Puskas 4 and Di Stefano 3! They were good! Same year as Wolves, the best team of the era, beat Blackburn 3-0 in the Cup Final after Dave Whelan (of sports shop fame) broke his leg. No subs in those days!

Pele and Eusebio - great players. Always difficult to compare players of different eras. Pitches today, no mud baths (!), are better, balls are different ( we probably all remember trying to head a leather ball on a wet day!), players are fitter, have more money to live better etc. I recall that the Blackburn centre forward was a guy with the great name of Louis Bimpson who had played for Liverpool as a part timer! Even the great Tom Finney went back to plumbing when he finished at Preston. Not quite what most modern top footballers will be doing when they finish!
The Banks save from Pele, one of the greatest saves of all time, and then the late replacement of Banks by Bonetti before the West Germany game due to Banks illness- Mexico 1970
 

Higgy

Member
Joined
1 Jul 2010
Messages
654
Player
Dave Higgins
I know what you mean, as Muller was more of an out-and-out poacher. However, their stats are very similar (basically one goal per game) and Pele was the more gifted all round footballer, as well as being a natural finisher.
Yes - of course Pele was certainly the better all round footballer.....contender for best ever.
As you say Muller was a top goal poacher. The original fox in the box - the German Franny Jeffers. And I think he was probably the best in this narrower of categories.....that's Muller not Jeffers btw.
Just checked some stats and interestingly he scored more goals at the World Cup than Pele did having appeared in only two versus Pele's four appearances. Both phenomenal goal scorers though at about one per game.
"Muller also has scored 14 WC goals to Pele's 12, despite only playing in 2 cups, as opposed to Pele's 4.
According to Wikipedia link, Muller scored 1461 in 1216 games, over 22 years. Pele scored 1284 in 1375 over 25 years".
 
Joined
15 Mar 2010
Messages
13,873
Player
Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
Manager
John King
Yes - of course Pele was certainly the better all round footballer.....contender for best ever.
As you say Muller was a top goal poacher. The original fox in the box - the German Franny Jeffers. And I think he was probably the best in this narrower of categories.....that's Muller not Jeffers btw.
Just checked some stats and interestingly he scored more goals at the World Cup than Pele did having appeared in only two versus Pele's four appearances. Both phenomenal goal scorers though at about one per game.
"Muller also has scored 14 WC goals to Pele's 12, despite only playing in 2 cups, as opposed to Pele's 4.
According to Wikipedia link, Muller scored 1461 in 1216 games, over 22 years. Pele scored 1284 in 1375 over 25 years".
I agree that Muller was probably the best ever striker of his kind, but I think Franny Jeffers will be very flattered by that comparison !

I think Greaves, Lineker and Aldridge were British 'foxes in the box' that were closer in stature to Muller.
 

Higgy

Member
Joined
1 Jul 2010
Messages
654
Player
Dave Higgins
I agree that Muller was probably the best ever striker of his kind, but I think Franny Jeffers will be very flattered by that comparison !

I think Greaves, Lineker and Aldridge were British 'foxes in the box' that were closer in stature to Muller.
Totally agree. The Franny Jeffers ref was defo tongue in cheek.
I think Wenger actually gave him the moniker.
Loved the comment below....."only in his mum's eyes".
 
Top